Comfort in my Own Skin
by Allychan-R
Summary: He's got enough people to hang out with. Both his "adopted" brother and cousin. Why does he need to befriend this short stack with an attitude problem? Simple. Because Eren's been there. He's been the outcast like Grumpy is, and he'll try his hardest to give him a friend. An unlikely romance form between these two social outcasts. Will they let it blossom, or nip it in the bud?
1. Moody Much?

**Full summary:**

 **Eren Jaeger is just a young teen who has gone from "That overweight German kid from down the block" to "Oh my fuck- Who was that hottie?!"**

 **As he moves back to the town he was once ridiculed, mistreated and bullied, he meets a young misfit named Levi. With the glare - and bite - worse than a cobra, Levi is cast out of the "social circles" and into the corner, where he is contented to stay.**

 **Where Levi believes Eren is just one of those popular assholes, as the persistent little brat wiggles his way into his life, he learns there is more to this kid than what meets the eye.**

* * *

 **A/N I has occured to me how much I hate this site compared to AO3. My username over there is Allychan_Ravenwood.**

 **This story has alsmot 10 chapters on AO3. I am going to post one chapter on here a week until you guys are caught up with them.**

 **This takes place in early May. I have a list of how old everyone is, but I'll post it later. I fucked with their ages quite a bit.**

 **And no, I don't own the damn cover image.**

 **Anyways, I think that's all I had to say for the moment, so please enjoy.**

* * *

A sigh escaped my lips as I looked at myself in the full length mirror.

I don't like this shirt. It's a short sleeved, V-necked lime green shirt. Mom told me to wear it, saying the color matched my eyes, but…

Nope.

Look at it. It's a _short sleeved_ shirt.

These things make me as self-conscious as person with social anxiety in a crowd.

My mom doesn't understand this kind of stuff.

I lifted my right arm and looked at my bicep, frowning at the little lines going down my arm:

Faded stretch marks.

Yep. I've got lots; on my stomach, thighs, arms, and some around my back.

I guess I should regard them as medals of success. Since I went from the _overweight German kid down the block_ to (apparently, or, so my mom says…) _Wow, he's kind of cute_.

The stretch marks used to be large and had red tints to them. Now, they were a little lighter than my tan skin, and they shrank as I had lost weight.

They were still an eyesore, as opposed to those people, blessed with those physiques which are perfect, and have _not one_ imperfection on them. And then there's me.

While they can flaunt those perfect little figures while going shirtless on the beach; or in those (I would never wear one of these, even if I didn't have the marks) little G-string thingies; or, for a girl, bikinis and the like.

Hell, I don't even like to swim.

I like to stay out of the water. With clothes; preferably long sleeves.

I was snapped out of my musings by a knock to my bedroom door and my brother – well, he isn't really, but he may as well be – Jean sticking his head into the door.

"You ready to go?" he asked. I purse my lips at his reflection in the mirror.

"Um… H-How does this –" I trail off, my brow furrowed as I raise my arms a little.

"You look good, man," he assured me, a gentle smile on his lips. I sigh, looking back to my own reflection. I scrunched my nose up.

"Do you think mom will let me swap it out for a sweater?" I ask.

"Geez, Eren, it's going to be eighty degrees outside! Hardly sweater weather," he scoffed, fully coming into the room and leaning against the doorjamb.

I whirled around to face him, a pained expression on my face.

He paused before groaning. "Fine," he sighed, throwing up his hands. He came farther into the room, grabbing an oversized peach sweater off my bed and heading back to the door. "I'll hide it for you in my bag, but this is the last damn time, Eren," he told me while shaking the sweater over his shoulder.

"Thank you!" I called, grabbing my backpack and swinging it over my shoulder. I rushed after him down the stairs, but instantly freezing once I saw my mother at the bottom of the stairs.

"Eren," said as she held out her hand.

Great... surprise inspection.

I sigh as I make my way down the rest of the stairs, swinging the bag off of my shoulders. I put it into her hands, and she instantly started going through it for any sweaters.

You see, my mom, from in the beginning has always said to be proud of my body. She always frowned upon my wearing the oversized sweaters I tend to like. Since I've lost all that weight, she refuses to let me wear any of my old clothes, buying me a new, full wardrobe of shorts and short sleeved shirts, much to my protests.

Mom rooted through my bag for any sweaters, long sleeved shirts or hoodies, and, when she found none, gave my bag back and wished me to have a good day.

I give her a small, tight smile. I know she means well, I really do.

I call out my farewells – as well as plant a kiss on her cheek – before I bolt out the door, sprinting down the street where Jean was already a block down the road.

One thing absolutely wonderful about my weight loss – I could run. Where I would start to breath heavy and wheeze after a few meters, I could now effortlessly sprint and run to all my liking. It felt great. I felt like I was in more control of my body than I had ever been before.

I felt free, in a sense.

I could enjoy the feel of the rush of air on my face, instead about worrying if it got to my lungs before I collapsed onto the ground.

As I got to Jean, I saw the peach colored sweated swinging with the movement in his arms, and grabbed it as I came up beside him, panting lightly. I shrugged off my back pack and handed it to him before I pulled the article of clothing onto my frame.

"Mom held you up again," he stated, more than asked as he handed me my bag. I nodded, putting my arms through the holes and putting it on.

"It's starting to get rather annoying," I admitted.

"Hey, at least she doesn't try and force the teenaged daughters of her friends down your throat," Jean scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

I hummed.

Yeah…

Another reason to be self-conscious; Jean and I are both gay. We've both known since fourth grade – how we found out is a hilarious story, but not one for right now – and still haven't told my mother.

I'm pretty sure mom knows about me, but I don't think she has any idea about Jean swinging that way.

I start humming lightly as we walk our way to school, Jean soon joining in.

"I'm hurtin' babe," I finally start to sing a few words. "I'm broken down."

"I need your lovin', lovin'. I need it now," Jean joins in with a small smile.

"When I'm without you," I point to the boy next to me.

"I'm something weak," he mutters, dropping his head. "You got me beggin', beggin' I'm, on my knees."

I quickly skip to the chorus, smirking as I sing the part I know Jean can't without breaking his voice.

"Your sugar, yes please! Won't you come and put it down on me? I'm right here, 'cause I need, little love, a little sympathy!" I go off into a small vocal run as Jean laughs loudly at my side. I laugh along with him.

"I still don't know how the hell you can go so high," the blond sputtered a laugh.

"You're just jealous," I huff.

We're almost to the school building when I'm attacked from the back, two arms slung around my neck and a body was pressed into ,my backpack. I stumbled forward a few steps before looking back to see a familiar raven haired boy holding onto me. It was my cousin; Marco Bott.

"Seriously, Marco? You go for him and not me?" Jean gaped, sounding hurt as he looked at his best friend on my back. Marco grinned at Jean while I poked my tongue out at him.

"Family before fuck-buddies, Kirschtein!" I cheerfully called, making both blush.

"Jaeger, I swear to goodness – "Jean growled.

"Eren, we're not like that," Marco said, letting me go and falling into step to my right, leaving me in the middle with Jean to my left.

I nodded with a sigh. "Either you guys are taking it slow, or you both are secretly going out behind my back, and just haven't told me yet."

Marco laughed easily. "No, it's nothing like that, Eren. I just feel more comfortable with taking it slow"

"I get you, I get you," I chuckled, waving my hands in front of me as I whirled around, walking backwards in front of them. "I understand why you wouldn't want to date Horseface, no worries."

"Watch it, Jackass, I know where you sleep," Jean hissed. I laughed, throwing my head back, laughing until I happened to bump into on something and fall on my butt in the dirt. I grunted, looking around for what I bumped into and found a raven haired boy glaring at me harshly from where he sat on the gravel.

"Sorry," I instantly apologized, getting up and offering him a hand. He glared at it before he got back up, dusting himself off frantically.

"Fuck off," he spat, gathering his bag and rushing toward the school building.

Well. He was moody.

* * *

 **A/N Our charming little Levi.**

 **Yep, so I'll be updating... I think I'll do updates on Saturday. Because Freedom of the Press updates on Saturday, and that'll help me remember to update this, too.**

 **Please review! I would like to hear what you guys think of this! I'm also on Tumblr, named allychan-ravenwood. Search me up. I'll probably start posting little things about my stories soon. Branching out around the interwebs, y'know?**

 **Anyways, that for reading, please drop a review, favorite, follow, do what you do best.**

 **Have a good day. =)**


	2. Personal Space

**A/N Yeah... so I've decided once a day.**

 **I really can't help it.**

* * *

After I had _literally_ bumped into Mr. Grumpy, as I have dubbed him, Marco, Jean and I went into the school building.

It was fairly boring most of the day. We had to shuffle around, get our class schedules, listen to the principal giving a speech for the start of the school year, and then we were rushed off to class.

Now, because I have never been in this building before – as I lived in this town most of my early life, my mother, Jean and I moved away when were thirteen, so I've never been into the high school building, only the one for the middle school kids. – I got lost and stupid enough to get separated from Marco, who supposedly knew the building inside and out.

Yeah…

I milled over my paper, trying to figure out how to get to room 283 when I was tapped on the shoulder. I whirled around to find a blond teen with big, innocent looking crystal blue eyes.

"Hi," he smiled, offering his hand. "My name's Armin!"

I give him a smile, taking his hand in my own. I feel as if I'm going to break his hand if I grip it too hard.

Armin was a good looking little guy. He looked like a girl in the face, though; but only a little. He had his golden hair styled in a bowl cut that almost reached his shoulders. He was wearing a pair of light jeans and a black t-shirt with a red long sleeve button up over it.

"I'm Eren Jaeger," I introduced myself.

"Sorry if I'm wrong, Eren, but do you need directions?" he asked with a light chuckle and a cock of the head.

This kid… I wanna dunk him in my coffee and eat him! He's so fucking cute!

I nod my head. "Yes… I need to get to," I glanced back down at my paper. "Room 283..?"

Armin grinned at me. "It's down the hall that way," he pointed to me, meaning I was to head in the direction opposite of me. "Go down that hall and take a right. It's going to be on your left; third door down."

I thank Holy Mother Maria for this cute little angel.

"Thank you," I laughed. "It was good to meet you."

"It was good to meet you too, Eren. Have a good day," he bid me before turning and going down the hall.

I didn't have time to dwell on the little angel before I turned on my heel and darted down the hall, following Armin's directions.

I arrived at the correct door and poked my head in, quietly giving my thanks that no teacher was present as of yet.

I slipped into the door unnoticed.

I don't recognize anyone here… but that's okay, I can deal. Maybe even make a new frien –

Holy shit, it's the kid from in front of the school again.

He sits in the very back, in a desk to my left. His arms are crossed over his chest, but he sits straight up in his seat. He's seemingly glaring at the material of his desk until someone tries to speak to him.

Then he glares at them.

One girl to his left kept glancing nervously to him, about to cry, as if he were going to suddenly stand up and murder the whole classroom.

The teacher seemingly grabbed the doorknob, so I jolt forward; going to the first empty seat I see… which happens to be the one right next to Mr. Grumpy.

Fuck.

"Hi guys!" the teacher, a young brunette woman of Korean decent called energetically. She was slender, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a maroon, formfitting t-shirt. "My name is Jackie Jiyong, nice to meet you all." A few murmured replies sounded. "Since today is a free day-" a whoop came from a dark headed boy not too far from where I sat, "-yes, I know," she giggled. "We're going to be speed dating!"

A hand shot up.

"Ma'am," the little blond started out softly, "I' um… I'm already dating someone…"

"Not _that_ kind of speed dating," she scoffed. "It's a friendly game of 'let's get to know each other better, that's all!"

After explaining the rules – it was just like speed dating – and moving desks around – something Mr. Grumpy didn't help with.

After a few rounds, I learned this kid with the shaved head is dating this girl named Sasha, who regularly volunteers in the lunch room as a server, and she can cook beautifully, and…

I learned more about Sasha than I did Connie, I have to say.

After we switched off for the third time, finally noticed where Mr. Grumpy sat.

He had dragged his desk to the far corner of the room, where people passed him by, happy they wouldn't have to deal with his attitude.

"Change, kids," Ms. Jiyong chirped.

I told the petite blond girl – her name is Krista, she's dating a sophomore named Ymir, and loved swimming, and had two older brothers who go to this school – farewell and stood up.

However, instead of switching partners, I took my chair and carried it to the raven haired boy in the back.

It occurred to me I didn't know his name.

He seemed to be asleep, so I sat my chair down as quietly as possible – really, why the hell are people staring so hard?! – and sat down by him.

I should really apologize to him for this morning, shouldn't I?

I mean, it was _me_ who bumped into _him_.

As I reached out my hand to poke his cheek, his eyes flicked open, and he turned and snapped at me.

No, not the ' _what the fuck are you doing?!'_ kind of snap.

He bit me. Wait, he bit me?!

Holy fucking shit, he bit me!

I yelped, jerking my hand back and holding it to my chest.

"What the fuck do you want?"

I'm sorry, but could you please yell at me _before_ you try and eat my fucking finger?!

"Geez, what was that for?!" I hissed, looking to see if it drew blood.

"Don't touch me with your grubby hands," he huffed, shifting away from me slightly in his seat. "And it was for this morning, you little shit, watch where you're going."

My nose scrunched up. Maybe I shouldn't have come over to Grumpy.

"I came to apologize for this morning, for your information," I told him. "And you're all alone over here, I could –"

"Go back over there," he nodded towards the rest of class – who thankfully weren't staring anymore, "and leave me in peace." He closed his eyes once more.

"Peace and alone?" I questioned. "That's rather boring, isn't it?"

He opened his eyes to glare at me.

His eyes, silver with a hint of blue in color, made ,e want to back down and cower in fear, but I couldn't back down now.

"Boring is better that having to interact with you shit heads," he stated.

I frowned. "You don't know anything about me." I smiled gently, "You never know; you might find someone to be a friend with if you try to get to know people. But you never will if you just deem us all shit heads at first glance."

"You're giving me the _'Don't judge'_ speech, brat?" he scoffed, chuckling dryly. "And yet here you are, assuming I have no friends."

"I never said that," I protested. "I just said you might want to find one; I never said you didn't have one."

"One?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Shit, _any_ , I meant _any_ friends!" I exclaimed, dry washing my face.

"Hey!" Ms. Jiyong called. I looked to her. "Didn't you two hear me? Put your desk back to the way they were!"

I nodded, going about it instantly. I glanced back to Grumpy, who was slowly putting his things back to normal.

"Listen," I started as people started to file out of the classroom. "All I was going to say was; I'll be your friend if you let me." I stuck my hand out to be shook. "I'm Eren Jaeger."

He looked down at the hand, and back up to my face as if I had just asked him to give me his soul so I could eat it; both disgusted and surprised, and a little angry.

And then his features hardened. "Do you remember what I told you this morning, brat?" he asked right before the bell rang.

I paused. Didn't he only tell me one thing this morning?

"Uh…" I trailed off, hoping he would take the hint and just tell me already.

"I told you to fuck off," he spat, brushing past me after he gathered his things. I gathered my things, joining the trickle of students out the door.

Damn. What's up his ass?

 **-X-**

Physical education doesn't scare me like it used to, I have to admit.

The uniform was either a pair of hunter green jogging pants and a light jacket – most likely for winter – or a pair of shorts of the same color green and a white t-shirt with the symbol of our school – a pair of wings – on the left breast.

I opted for the shorts – they reached a _tiny bit_ above the knee, the t-shirt and the jacket, not earning too many glances because others were doing the same thing.

The teacher wasn't present – a rumor went around that he was on his honeymoon – until finally, a short little redheaded woman came into the room, introducing herself as Ms. Petra Ral.

She announced we were going to do races around the perimeter of the gym.

I won four of the six races I was in, and lost the other two. I wasn't too disappointed though, the first guy I lost to was freaking huge! The second was a little blond woman who looked like she could floor the blond guy and I at the same time.

I chuckled at the thought as I got a drink from one of the fountains by the exit of the gymnasium.

"Hey, you did good out there!" someone called as I dipped my head.

"Thanks," I replied before actually taking a drink. A slap on the shoulder nearly made me slam my forehead into the metal basin of the fountain. I sputtered in surprise.

"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled. I glared at him before straightening up and wiping my mouth with my jacket sleeve. "Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" he asks before stretching out his hand. "Jeremy Maguire."

I thought I recognized him. He's tall a brunette with stormy blue eyes and a devilish smirk on his face. This guy… is an ass, to be the nicest. Any time an adult, or someone who would tell on him turned their backs, he would be preying on kids. The homosexuals, the emo kids, the scenes, the overweight…

I want to punch his pretty face in. But do I? No. And it isn't out of cowardice, mind you.

Ever since I came back to Trost, I've been looking for new beginnings, and all that cliché shit, right? I may as well give him one too.

I put my hand in his, and give it a firm shake. "Eren Jaeger," I told him. It took a few seconds, but recognition lit his eyes.

"Jaeger? Damn, you changed, man," he laughed loudly.

"I try," I laugh stiffly.

"You came here all the way from… what's that nickname…?"

Don't you dare. _Don't you fucking dare!_

"Oi, what's all the noise for, Jeremy?" a red haired guy asked, coming up to us.

"Jonson, you remember Jaeger?" he pointed a finger to me. The red head, Matthew Jonson, Maguire's right hand man looked to me with a hard stare.

"This isn't pudge ball," he said, utterly confused. I clenched my fist slightly behind my leg and I'm sure my knuckles are turning white.

"Well, hang on," Matthew cocked his head at me. "I guess his profile fits… You lost all that fat, congrats!"

I nodded my head stiffly.

"Yeah, what's that nickname we gave him? The German one?" Maguire asked his comrade.

Jonson thought for a minute before his eyes lit up.

Don't you da –

"Meisenknödel!" he declared. My eyebrows came together in a scowl and my teeth started to bar.

In sixth grade when some kids found out I'm of German decent, they decided to play around with Google Translate to come up with a new nickname for me.

Meisenknödel was the result.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when a hand was placed on my stomach. I instantly stepped back away from Maguire, who was the one to touch me.

"Holy shit, I felt something under there. You're like, _toned_!" he said in surprise.

How the fuck do you think I lost all the weight?! Exercise goes with cutting back on all the sweet shit I used to eat!

"Huh-uh," Jonson said in disbelief as he reached a hand out to me.

"Don't touch me," I snarled.

I suddenly felt bad for trying to poke Grumpy's cheek earlier.

"Calm down, I just wanted to – "

His approaching hand was stopped at my growl. It was low and threatening.

"Geez, man," he said, closing the space between us and sliding a hand under my shirt. His eyes widened as he felt my abdominal muscles, but were soon snapped shut as he crashed to the floor.

I shook my hand, trying to relieve my aching knuckles.

" _Don't. Fucking. Touch. Me_ ," I growled to the one on the floor, and the one staring at me with wide eyes.

"What is going on here?!" I turned to see Ms. Ral standing behind us, shock written over her features.

 _Well_. This is a great first day I'm having.

* * *

 **A/N There isn't really much to say here.**

 **A "** **meisenknödel" is a little ball of seed used for feeding birds. I thought it funny, seeing how the kids randomly started calling Eren this to piss him off. But, no one in this really bothered to google what it was, so they all think it means something along the lines of "pudge ball".**

 **If you would like to read this on AO3 (since there are more chapters posted already) My username is Allychan_Ravenwood, or you could go to my profile here and there is a direct link.**

 **I would love it if you could drop a review.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Look at her, she's getting ready to blow

**A/N** **Hello! Please enjoy.**

* * *

Mom sighed, rubbing her temple.

Oh shit, I am in _so_ much trouble.

"Eren," she started, looking at me, "What is your side of the story?"

"They were feeling me up," I told both here, and Principal Pixis, whom we were sitting in front of. "I told them to back up, but they didn't. Self-defense." I slumped back in my seat, crossing my arms.

"I see," the old man mused. "We'll investigate this issue, Mrs. Jaeger," he assured her.

"Thank you, Principal Pixis," she said, standing up and heading towards the door. I instantly jump up and head after her.

I glanced to her nervously as we walked through campus, waiting for her to yank my ear off.

We were all the way out in the car when she blew up. New record. Good for her. Not so much for me, though.

"How could you do this, Eren?!" she demanded. "I taught you not to lay a hand on another human being!"

I… don't remember that "lesson"…

"It was _their_ fault!" I exclaimed.

"That's no excuse, just –" she cut herself off, her screams pausing as she held up her hand, "– give me your phone."

My phone?

Nope. Nopenopenopenopenopenope. Nope. What if she goes through my camera reel?! I have like, three hentai mangas saved on there!

"Eren," she sighed, shaking her hand a bit.

Dammit. This is the bad stage to when I do something stupid. First, its anger, next, when she calms down a bit is confusion, and then… disappointment. When I feel like I am a failure in life, when I feel like I have failed _every fucking expectation_ she _ever_ had of me.

"Give me your phone. You can't have it until you get off your suspension, which ends Friday, understood?"

I repressed a sigh as I dig through my front pocket on my right side to give her my phone. She took it and shoves it in her purse before starting the car and heading home.

I can't believe I got put out of school for a week just because of a black eye.

Great, now I'm going to be given a reputation. I bet people will think I went to juvie, or something when I don't show up for a few days.

I sigh, leaning back in the seat until we get home.

"We're here," mom announces softly as we arrive. I lean my chair back up and grab my bag before I get out of the car. I slowly walk to the house, mom's lingering behind, most likely either to call someone or to take a cigarette. I slam the door behind me, dropping my bag before shuffling upstairs. I'm almost to my room when the door across from mine swung open.

Damn it. Of course I was going to get interrogated again!

"Eren, what the hell happened?" Jean asked harshly, leaning on his bedroom doorpost.

I ignored him, continuing on to my room and face planting on my bed.

"No Eren, tell me," he ordered after I assumed me came into the room, I heard the door softly click shut.

He didn't slam doors. It hurt the wood. He had to be really pissed off to slam a door.

"Go away!" I yelled. "I don't want to talk about it!" The next thing I knew was, I was grunting and gasping from pain as his ass made a home in my back. " _Get… off me!_ " I yelled, trying to buck him off.

"Not until you tell me what the fuck you did to make mom go to Pixis' office!" he replied, shifting on my so more pressure was put on me.

"You… son of a bitch!" I huffed.

"Insulting my mother isn't going to make me get off you," he laughed. He did this for two more minutes until I told him I would spill the beans. I rolled over, gasping for breath when he got off of me.

"Never sit on me again," I scowled at him. "Ever."

He chuckled, sitting on the beanbag in the corner of my room. "Now. What the hell did you do?"

"I clocked a guy," I told him, sitting up and running a hand through my messy hair.

"On the first day? What for?!" he asked, suddenly alert and at attention.

"Meisenknodel." I stated. He straightened his back and anger filled his features.

"I'm gonna–"

"Do nothing!" I exclaimed. "You're not going to do fucking anything about this! It's my deal. You're not going to get involved."

"How can I not be?" he shot back.

"By ignoring it, all right?! You _can_ do that!" I glared at him, telling him silently to back the fuck off.

He gave me a pained look. "Eren…"

Shit. Don't look at me like that…

"I can't do that," he stared at me hard before dropping his gaze.

"Look, all I'm asking is, don't go all ape shit crazy while I'm gone, alright?" I sighed. "Don't hunt the fucker down, I already got him good."

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered before looking back up at me. "Wait, what do you mean 'gone'?"

"I got a suspension until Monday," I told him, twisting the ring on my middle ringer. "Mom took away my phone too." He grimaced.

"Well…"

 **-X-**

I moaned loudly, my back arching off the couch. I let out a small whine as I stared up to the ceiling. My toes dug into the leather as I tried to stabilize myself.

I quickly rolled off the couch with another moan.

"I'm so fucking bored!" I cry out into the empty house. "Can someone just rob us or something to make me _not_ board?!" I bury my face into the carpet with a pretend sob.

"Mom is gone! Jean is at school! No one is here! I have no phone! My laptop charger is at Marco's house! The damn internet is inaccessible and I am under house arrest! Somebody fucking kill me!" I scream, counting the reasons as to why I was doing some weird-ass yoga pose on the couch.

I opt to take a nap – the only thing to do besides clean, and you know I'm sure as hell not doing that right now.

I'm almost asleep from my position on the floor when the land line suddenly rings, jolting myself out of my only distraction. I grunt as I get up and make my way into the kitchen, rounding the island and grabbing the phone from where it was plugged in by the sink.

"Hello?" I say, sounding bored as a literal plank of wood.

"Eren?" Marco laughs nervously on the other end of the line. While I'm glad he called, I narrow my eyes in suspicion.

"What's up Marco?" I ask casually, trying to get to the bottom of his unknown plans.

He probably _was_ in league with the CIA and FBI on some sort of top secret mission to kidnap Jean and take him back to the lab where he was created by crossing human and horse genes. (See what I did there?)

"I need to ask a favor of you."

I knew it. I knew it. He needs me to help hide a body.

You know what? Stop judging my ramblings. I'm bored out of my fucking mind.

"What is it?" I ask, leaning against the counter.

"Well, you heard about my aunt breaking her hip, right?" he started. I hummed my response. It was his aunt because it was his dad's side of the family. His mom is my mom's sister, therefore, the woman in question – Marie, I believe her name is – is Marco's relative, not mine. "Okay, well, my mom, dad and I are going up there to help take care of her kids. They're all pretty old, so we'll be leaving Alex, Terry and Jen at home…"

Alex, fourteen years old, Terry, four years old and Jean, three years old are all Marco's younger siblings. Even though I'm their cousin, I have trained them all to call me Uncle Eren. It's so cute, oh my gosh.

"And…?" I pressed. "I know there was something else.

"I was wondering if you would stay with them," he finished.

"Sorry, Marc," I sighed, glancing to the small build-up of dishes in the sink. "I'm under house arrest."

"Actually, I already got it approved through your mom," he said. I nearly dropped the phone.

Yes! Finally! I can get out of this house! I can be free!

"Alright Marco, I'll do it."

* * *

 **A/N Muhuhahaha.**

 **Yea, so, um...**

 **Hope you enjoyed, see you tomorrow, and please drop me a review.**


	4. I've lost them!

**I dunno why, but I just really love this chapter. I love making Eren a dork. It's just sa damn cute!**

 **Glasses, my friend, this story's first, very appreciated reviewer, Meisenknodel is directly translated to "fat ball" However, a meisenknodel is a ball of seed used for feeding birds. You hang it in this mesh, type thingie, and the little chirpies just swoop down and munch.**

 **Thanks for the review!**

 **Please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

I quickly stuffed some clothes into a small duffel bag, moving along to the music going through the house on full blast. My hips moved with the rhythm of the fast beat, my shoulders occasionally rolling as I hummed the words to the song.

I found Jean's iPod.

I know. I was excited. I found it, hooked it up to the Oontz speaker and started blaring the music.

He has strange taste in music. I put the iPod on shuffle and first it was some kind of hardcore rap, and then a slow jazz song, and then Sam fucking Smith came on after some kind of Indian Pop.

I have to admit, it was catchy. The Indian pop, I mean. Although, Sam Smith is one of my favorites.

And then Blank Space came on. I would _so_ hold that over his head if he hadn't already found my own choice of Taylor Swift songs on my phone.

Shut up, you can't judge me.

I buried my laptop in layers of clothes in the duffel bag, thankful how I can finally get my charger cord back.

I cocked my eyebrow at the song change. Eye of the Tiger…

No. Not just _any_ Eye of the Tiger. _Dubstep_ Eye of the Tiger.

I thought Eye of the Tiger was a 'get your ass up and do something!' song by itself, but… I need to go do some push-ups, or something.

I mentally remind myself to look it up on Amazon later and get back to packing.

I would be watching the kids from tonight until Sunday night. It should be fairly easy. I've done it before and they were perfect little angel spawn.

I wouldn't go as far as "Angels" but I would go as far as "Angel Spawn". I just hope to goodness Jen learned her lesson about stealing from Alex last time.

A grin spread itself across my lips as a soft song came on. I love this song.

"Did I abuse him, or show him disdain, why does he run from me?" I start out, going out of my room and to the stair rail by my bedroom door, looking downstairs dramatically. "If I should lose him how do I regain," I slap a hand on my chest, singing the words _just a little_ differently than what's coming out of the speaker, "the heart he has won from me?"

"Agony! Beyond power of speech," I fist my shirt, right above the heart as I stifled a laugh. "When the one thing you want–" I reached out my free hand out to an imaginary Mr. Grumpy at the bottom of the stairs. "–is the only thing out of your reach!"

"But don't think I want you like that, I just want your friendship!" I quickly added before going on; "But I won't lie, you ass is very fine, but I would never tell you that because you hate me!" I laugh through the next guy's part until the chorus comes around again.

"Agony! Far more painful than yours!" I gave a fake scowl. "Because you know I didn't hurt you. Only knocked you on your arse!" I sang to the tune. "Agony!" I broke into another fit of laughter. I gripped the hand rail to stabilize myself.

I know realize why I am single. The dorkiness is too strong.

As the song ends I go back into my room, zipping up my bag and carrying it downstairs, still sputtering little laughs. I turn off the iPod, since I'm about to leave and drop my bag by the island counter where the iPod and speaker sit.

As soon as I shut off the music, the front door opens and mom comes in, judging by her "I'm home!"

"In the kitchen," I call out to her. She shuffles into the room.

I frown slightly at her appearance; she looks exhausted. Her baby blue nurse's uniform is crumpled, and she has bags under her eyes from being at the hospital all night.

"Good morning mom," I toss her an easy smile, hoping to bring one to her own face. She returns a small, tired smile as she goes to the refrigerator. She pulls out an apple, a cheddar cheese stick and a Yahoo. So nutritious. Only half sarcastic.

"Morning Baby," she greets, leaning up to kiss my forehead as she passes by. "And it's mid-afternoon."

"I know," I shrug casually. "But I didn't get to say it this morning."

She rolled her eyes. She was half way into a drink of her Yahoo when she hummed like she just remembered something. She took the drink away from her lips, revealing her chocolate moustache. I chuckled at her. She cocked her eyebrow. "What?" she inquired.

"Mom, women with moustaches, _just isn't_ sexy," I told her with a sigh. She paused before laughed and wiping her upper lip with a paper towel she got from the roll on the counter.

"Very funny," she giggled, flicking the used paper towel towards me. I grabbed it, throwing it in the trashcan in a cabinet under the counter. "Here," as I looked back up to her, she pulled something out of her pocket and presented it to me.

My phone…

I might have took it a little too fast by the way she laughed.

"Like I said. You get it back on Friday. And I thought you might need it in case something goes wrong at the Bodt's.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, grinning as I unlocked the phone and looked through it.

"Yeah. Also. We need to talk about some of the stuff I found on there." I paled at her words.

Fu-

"Just kidding. I couldn't even guess your password," she hummed with a small frown as she went to take a bite of her cheese stick.

I gave a nervous laugh. "E-Even if you had the code, there would be nothing to t-talk about," I assured her.

Why the fuck am I suck a shitty liar?!

She looked up at me with a suspicious expression. "Is that so…?" I nodded vigorously. "Alright kiddo, if you say so." She smiled at me before looking at a watch on her wrist. "Oh, you'd better be going. Angie wanted you there at five and its four forty-five." I widened my eyes in surprise.

"I gotta go," I said, straightening u from leaning on the island. I grabbed my bag and rounded the counter to plant a kiss on mom's cheek before hurrying to the front door.

"Bye Eren," she called after me. "See you Sunday night!"

"See ya," I yelled right before I grabbed my keys and wallet from the table by the door and exited the house. I swung the bag over my shoulder and jogged down the street. They only lived a few blocks away, so I opted to run over instead of getting a ride or something. Besides, I needed the exercise.

I finally came to the house of the Bodt's. It was a two story, brick modern day type house you would see in one of those little villages with fifty houses that all look exactly the same. Except there was only one of these on the street. I went right up to the door and knocked. It was opened only seconds later by a worried looking Aunt Angie.

"Eren!" She threw herself on me in a hug. "I'm so, so, so glad you're here!" she said before she retracted herself from me and led me into the house. I closed the door behind us and followed her in to find Uncle Jack and Marco bringing bags from the little hall to my right.

"Eren, thank you so much for agreeing to this," Jack told me before he went past me to most likely pack the bags into the car, Marco followed after him.

"I don't think they'll cause too much trouble," Angie said, coming back to me from where she wondered off into the kitchen. Her black hair, styled in curls blew behind her at her current fast pace. She was wearing simple black jeans and a turquoise blouse that flowed down her slender figure, followed by a pair of sandals. "But listen to me, Eren, if they do, don't hesitate to call us, okay?" I nodded.

I mostly nodded for her peace of mind. I can handle them myself. Hopefully.

"Here's a list of people to call for various emergencies," she handed me a six inch long page of a note pad, filled with names and numbers in small print. "Poison control, ER, the hospital-"

I nodded, listening carefully, letting her talk. She finished and blew out a short breath. She drew me into a hug. "Thank you so much for this, Eren," she told me. "This has been hard on us. Thank you for helping."

I shrugged after she pulled back, a crooked grin on my lips. "What's family for?" She nodded, patting my shoulder.

"We'll be back Sunday, eleven at night at the very latest," she assured me. I gave a firm nod.  
Okay," she sighed. After giving her last farewells and instructions, she went out the door to join Marco and Jack.

I looked around the house.

After you got into the door, there was a small entryway before you came into living room. To the right was a hall. At the end of the hall top the left was the master bedroom, and to the right, at the end of the hall was another bedroom; Jen's. There was also three more doors. The one on the left was Alex's room, the one in the middle was a bathroom and the one on the right was Terry's room.

If you look to the left right after you come out of the entryway, the kitchen is there, on the very left with a small dining room off to the side. There was also a stairway leading upstairs. Marco's room, where I will be staying. Half of the upstairs is a storeroom while the rest is Marco's room.

Back downstairs, to the right of the stairs is a small workspace with a desktop computer.

It's a very nice house, even if it's occasionally messy and cluttered by the kid's toys and things.

Kids… Speaking of which, where are they?

I went to the hall, checking their bedrooms before finding nothing.

Oh shit. I've been here for two minutes and I already lost the kids.

I looked around the small storage room connected to the house with a door to the dining room before I finally bounded the stairs.

There was two doors at the top of the stairs; the one to the left was the one to Marco's room while the other one was to the storeroom. I quickly poked my head in the one to the right, seeing no one in there, so I quietly shut the door and went into the other, saying a silent prayer, asking so that the kids be in there.

I opened the door and crept into the room. The room was spacious, there were various beanbags on the hardwood floor, and a table and chairs near the window to the right side of the room, around the corner. Marco's bed and dresser were in a curtained off space at the back of the room, in the left corner.

I crossed my fingers as I drew back the curtain to find…

Nothing.

"Fucking hell," I said aloud.

A loud gasp echoed through the room. "Uncle Eren said a bad word!"

I whirled around on my heel to see a little blond boy with his hand over his mouth, standing by the curtain that separates the store room from this one.

"Where were you?!" I demand. He wordlessly pointed to the curtain. I go forward and draw the curtain back to see the raven haired girls, crouching behind a chair.

"Hey Eren," Alex grinned at me.

"You found us, Unc' 'Ren!" Jen squealed in excitement. I gave a relieved sigh.

I hope I'll be able to manage them…

* * *

 **A/N Bad Uncle Eren. Bad. No swearing amongst the children. Bad.**

 **I hope you liked this!**

 **Drop me a review telling me what you thought of this and follow for more!**


	5. Strangers and Pizzas

I eyed the oddly quiet kids sitting on the beanbags in front of me. Jen lay on one, scribbling in a coloring book, Alex sits on one while scrolling through her phone and Terry sat on the one closest to me, smiling at me expectantly.

I looked up to him constantly from where I was sitting on the black leather beanbag – mine is the best one. And I get the best, since I am currently the head honcho – playing Battle Block Theatre on my laptop.

"Alright!" I sighed loudly, shutting my laptop. "What are you guys playing at?"

Alex looked up to me, her head cocked. "Why Uncle Eren, what _ever_ are you talking about?" she asked in an innocent way.

"You guys have been quiet all day. _Not one fight_. Are you all planning my murder?"

"What's Mordor?" Jen inquired, not even looking up from her book.

"Mordor is where Frodo destroyed the Ring, dear," Alex told her, glancing over to the small raven haired girl and back to her phone. "Uncle Eren, we _definitely_ aren't planning to murder you via poisonous plants found in Ms. Phyllis' yard next door and blame it on the witch." I looked between the three of them. They are going to kill me, aren't they?

"We want pizza!" Terry declared. Pizza?! _That's it?!_

"Who's going to pay for it?" I asked the three.

"I has no coins," Jen told me. Terry simply shrugged.

Alex answered; "I'll pay you back, I swear!"

I stared at her. "Fine. But you better pay back _every penny_. With _interest_." She nodded vigorously. I got up from the beanbag, my laptop tucked safely under my arm. "Come on Alex, let's go call 'em."

I made my way down the stairs to the kitchen to find the takeout menus with Alex following me.

"So what do we-"

"A medium Hawaiian and a large cheese," she interrupted me. "And if you don't want pizza, they also make salads and pasta dishes.

I nodded, flipping through the take our menu. I pulled out my phone and called the pizza parlor I put in the pizza order along with a Ceaser salad for myself.

Don't get me wrong. I'll eat pizza, but only occasionally. If there's a healthier route, I'll take it.

"What have you been doing?" I asked the girl staring at her phone. Kids and their technology these days.

Like I have room to talk. Just yesterday I was moping around because I didn't have my phone or laptop.

She pursed her lips before looking up at me. "I'm dealing with a break-up."

I cocked my eyebrow. "You and Kyle break-up?"

"No," she scoffed, "we're golden It's Olivia."

Ah. Olivia is Alex's best friend. They're closer than Grump and I are apart.

Why do I keep using him as an example?! I literally only met him twice. And both times we met he told me to fuck off.

But…

I still want to get to know him. He's an outcast to my understanding (He may not be, but to my understanding of him right now, he is.) and I've been there before. I know how it feels. It sucks.

So. I hope I can get to be friends with him. Probably not soon, though. He hates me.

Aw… Now I'm sad. And off track.

"What'd he do?" I asked her, changing my mental subject.

Alex rolled her brown colored eyes, running a hand through her hair so the pixy cut style was slightly leaning to the right. "We went to a movie the other day, last Saturday and caught him getting close with a petite blond haired 'beauty'." She curled her index and middle fingers on both hands, making quotation marks in the air. "Olivia went up to him and calmly told him to go screw himself and then walked off. And when we got to her house, she cried. And cried. And cried."

I nodded in sympathy. Poor girl.

"How many times did he try to call?" I question. Of fucking course he'd try to call. Getting caught cheating usually means you lose both the people you were with. The dick always tries to get _at least_ one of their partners back.

"Six times that night and three in the morning before I picked up."

Oh. If Alex answered the phone, he's most likely scarred for life.

It's never good when someone answers the phone for their best friend when said best friend is A; too pissed to talk or B; to wrecked with tears to utter a single sentence.

Option B usually involves death threats and verbal murder which consists of the person bitching out the offender until they get their anger out.

"Can this be off the record?" she asked in a lower voice. "Okay," she started after I nodded my consent with an amused smile. This ought to be good.

"I answered the phone and before I could even say the propper 'The hell do you want?' he starts to beg for forgiveness. I cut him off and told him that if he calls Olivia again and/or if he _ever_ tries to speak and/or communicate with her again, I will drug his sorry cheating ass and kidnap him. After I kidnap him, I would strap him to my kitchen counter. Once he wakes up, and the drugs ware off, I would – _with a dull kitchen knife, mind you_ – give him a sex change, right here, on my counter top. The fucker whimpered like a kicked puppy and hung up the phone."

I stared at her wide-eyed, a hand dropped to cover my crotch area as I uttered a whimper much like she had described.

She straightened up a little at my reaction, tipping her chin up slightly. "That'll teach him to act that way," she huffed.

When the doorbell rang, I _instantly_ shot from the kitchen, glad to get away from my terrifying relative.

 _What the hell happened to the girl who used to be as sweet as Marco?!_

As I came to the front door, a shriek sounded as Terry bounded down the stairs.

"Levi!" He screamed, shooting past me to the door.

"Oi, hang on kid," I said, pulling the little blond boy back from the door by the collar of his shirt. "Who's Levi?"

"He's the pizza delivery guy," Alex informed me, her wallet in hand. "He's a real cutie, but he's got an attitude problem."

Images of grumpy flashed through my mind as I opened the door, only to find a chipper brunette.

"Haaannnjjji!" Terry screamed, bolting forward and hugging her legs.

"I thought you said their-" I gave a non-binary reference because… I honestly can't tell. "-name was Levi?"

The brunette sputtered a laugh. "Levi is the other delivery person." They stuck their free hand out. "Name's Hanji Zoe, I'm multitalented. I make pizza, put it in a box and deliver it," they informed me proudly. A grin spread across my lips.

"That takes true talent, Hanji," I applauded in a small laugh.

They took their hand back and looked back to the pizza. "M'kay, so I got two pizzas. A medium Hawaiian and a large cheese; but I also have a Ceaser salad. I did get it right, right?"

"Left!" Terry chirped.

"Yeah, yeah, that's enough, you," Alex hushed him. She fished out a twenty and a five from her wallet and handed them to me before taking the pizza and going to taking Terry to set the table.

"Yes, that's right," I nodded, looking back to Hanji.

"Okay, then the total comes out to $34.97!"

They had the nerve to grin at my paling face. The nerve.

I looked down to the twenty five dollars in my hand and muttered a curse aloud as I dragged my own wallet out of my back pocket.

"I didn't realize your services came so fucking steep, Hanji," I hissed as I pulled a ten dollar bill from my wallet and handed it over.

"Ah," they chuckled. "My services also require a tip."

I looked at them, my eye twitching. I looked down to my wallet; literally nothing but a damn school lunch card. And my bank card. And a coupon to some soft frozen yogurt shop across town. I looked up to them with pleading eyes. Suddenly, a laugh shook their frame.

"Oh my Maria! Your face was priceless!" they squealed. "The tip was included in the total!"

I have the sudden urge to ring this person's neck. Not even joking.

I grumbled a curse against them. "Thank you Hanji." I added.

"You're welcome, stranger," they chirped happily before turning and going down the side walk to an old minivan parked by the street with Pixis' Pizza stamped on the side. I briefly wondered if it was run by Principal Pixis on the side before I went into the house, slamming the door behind myself.

 **-X-**

I woke up in my own bed the next morning. Marco and his mom and dad got back home at around six in the evening. I took my leave at eight when Jen and Terry where in bed. I was home fifteen minutes later and flopped down in bed not two minutes after I got in the door.

I failed.

I ate the pizza.

Hawaiian pizza is my downfall. I just… can't resist the pineapples… or the Canadian bacon. Hell, it's the whole thing!

Not to mention Jen trying to shove her slice down my throat.

I feel… horrible.

I groan as I get out of bed to get ready for school. It's raining outside. Oh goody.

Normally, I don't mind a little rain, but mom is on shift at the hospital this morning, so that means Jean is driving.

We have two cars, mom's blue Ford Focus and there's a little Toyota pickup we have for back up.

Jean got his license recently.

I have no idea how he got his license by how he drives. Nothing is smooth. He stops, the car jerks, he switches gears, the car jerks.

I have nightmares about the last time Jean drove me somewhere.

I put on a pain of black jeans and a gray t-shirt before I pulled on a bright red jacket without a hood and without a zipper. It's kind of like a long sleeve shirt, but it's thick like a jacket.

I gathered up my backpack, mentally preparing myself at how much stuff I had to catch up on when I get to school.

After getting my phone from where it was plugged up by my bed, I raced downstairs.

"Jeez, do you not brush your hair?" Jean asked; his nose scrunched up as I rushed around the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee from the coffee maker before replying.

"It's the new style," I told him sarcastically.

Of course I didn't brush my hair yet. I just got up. It isn't on my top priority list to brush my hair when I get up at seven in the morning.

I carefully sipped at the black coffee, making a sputtering 'yuck' sound before I went to get the cream. I poured in a generous amount and replaced it in the refrigerator. I took another sip, humming in satisfaction.

"So it's raining."

I cracked open my eye to look at Jean. No, not look at him. I stared at him. Hard.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," I scoffed.

"And I will be driving the Toyota."

Holy Mother Maria, please save me.

I grabbed a granola bar before Jean informed me that we were supposed to be going and we both climbed into the tan Toyota pick-up.

The ride was as expected. Rough at the very best.

Before I got out I fixed my hair – ran my fingers through it – in the mirror in the visor thing that flips down and shield your eyes from the sun.

What is that thing called?

You know what, it doesn't even matter.

"Alright, Jackass, no throwing mud this time," Jean scowled to me from the driver's seat.

"Are you still hung up about that?" I chuckled.

"You bet your ass I am," he huffed.

When we were… I want to say eleven – my memory is shit at these things – mom drove us to school. After she dropped us off and we walked almost all the way to the school building, I scooped up a bit of mud and threw it at Jean.

Being the competitive bastard he is, he returned it; soon, a full on war started with a few kids of the same grade as Jean and I.

Jean was the one who got in trouble for starting the mess.

I'm pretty sure of that because the little girl who told on us, liked me at the time and put the blame on Jean. She's a sweet lil' girl.

I hummed, twisting in my seat and grabbing the door handle. "Don't look so ugly that I have to give you a face mask!"

"You little–" I opened the door and sped out, quickly grabbing my backpack and pulling it on as I ran indoors, droplets already soaking my head shoulders and torso.

I got inside and shivered. It's cold in here!

I ruffled a few droplets of water out of my hair and let out a shaky breath. I looked around the crowded halls of students before walking over to my locker down the hall a bit from the entry way.

I quickly unlocked the metal box and shoved my bag in after getting my stuff for psychology. I saw Jean come down the hallway out of the corner of my eye. He was looking around himself, probably for someone. I smirked to myself.

Poor lovesick fool. Marco is staying home today. He'll probably mope around once I tell him.

However, the warning bell rings before I'm able to. He hurries to get his stuff and get down the hall in the opposite direction I'm going. I take my own sweet time getting to my classroom. Once I get there, only three seats are left empty. I note that Grumpy isn't here yet. I take my seat I used a week ago, wondering where Grumpy could be.

* * *

 **A/N I honestly only recently noticed I named Marco's mum and dad after Angela and Hodgens from Bones.**

 **I hope you enjoyed! This is one of my favorite chapters so far, mainly because of the threat. I just bust out laughing when I think about it.**

 **Also the fact that Jean is a sucky driver. I just love making someone in this show a _really_ bad driver so that no one ever wants to ride with them.**

 **Thanks for reading, _please_ drop me a review telling me what you guys thought of this.**

 **'Till next time-**


	6. My Orange Juice (Lunch)

I shuffled through the lunch line, all too aware of the stares pinned to my back.

So it turns out I was right…

Almost everyone here believes I was in Juvenile Hall the week I was out. Some kid came to me asking if I had broken out.

Lemme ask you a question. Do you honestly think I would break out of jail just to come to school? No. No I would not. I would be hiding out in Milwaukee if I had broken out of jail.

I walk through the lunch line, buying an orange and a little bottle of apple juice before moving off to sit at a lone table by a window to my right.

Grumpy wasn't in Psych. Like I thought he was going to be. Maybe he's sick. Maybe he bit the wrong person and ended up in prison.

I chuckle at my own thought before mentally smacking myself on the wrist for assuming he did something like that.

I try not to judge, make fun of, or make assumptions of people. I really do. Except Jean, I know he can take it usually, and not get offended, and he does the exact same thing to me – about most things.

I absent mindedly picked at the peel of the orange I held in my hands.

Marco could be lightly teased. He gets really sensitive – which I totally get – so I'm usually the one at his defense, rather than the one teasing… unless it's about getting him and Jean together. I really have no idea why they're still not dating.

Jeez, I sound like a gossiping old lady.

I dig a thumb into the top of the orange so I could get into the peel off. I have the peel halfway off – and in one piece, _if I may brag_ – when someone sat down across the table from me. I look up to see a familiar looking brunette.

"Hiya Stranger!" Hanji chirped. I scowled at them.

"You," I hissed. "You scared the hell outta me the other day!" I exclaimed. A smirk came across their features.

"It was funny, you should let it go, or laugh with me!" she told me just before she started to tuck into their homemade lunch of what looked like grilled chicken. I clicked my tongue, going back to my orange. It wasn't a full twenty seconds later that three chairs pulled up to my table.

"So we're sitting here today?" a tall blond man with crystal blue eyes asked as he sat down with a tray of pasta. Hanji greeted him with a toothy grin and an excited answer.

"Why do we always move around the lunch room with Hanji?" a little blond teen asked, her piercing blue eyes flicking to me before looking to the brunette.

"Because I'm awesome and the life of the party!" they declared, flailing their arms in the air.

I squirmed uncomfortably, drawing the eyes of the fifth person at the table to me.

She was a raven haired girl who looked quite like Grumpy – I need to stop calling him that – she had keen gray eyes and an expressionless face to match the blond girl's at her side. I remembered the blond from the races on my first day.

"Stranger, this is Erwin, his little sister Annie and her girlfriend Mikasa!" they said, introducing me to the group.

I gave a nod to them. "I'm Eren."

"So you're not in jail like everyone's saying?" the raven said.

I gave her a blank look. "I got out for good behavior."

Hanji burst out laughing. "I told you he was funny!" they exclaimed as they banged their fist against the table.

Erwin gave an amused chuckle. "You are indeed."

Oh. Oh my. I like that voice. I like that voice a lot. I want that voice to say dirty things in my ear while I-

Holy mother of all things good, I need to stop.

I laughed lightly along with him and Hanji before I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. In the far corner of the room, in a small booth sat Grumpy, looking… grumpy, but there was something else on his face. I can't figure it out from here, can I?

I have the itching desire to go to him, but don't want to appear rude...

I look back to Mikasa to see her already staring at Grumpy with a distressed look on their face.

I bet you they're related.

Annie glanced over to see what had gotten her partner's attention, only for a scowl to be etched on her face once she saw him.

Soon, Hanji looked to their left to him and Erwin glanced over their shoulders.

"Is… he doing alright?" Hanji asked Mikasa quietly.

The raven shook her head. "He's still ignoring me," she sighed. "Barely even living at home, it's just; eat, sleep, school."

I glanced to her, a troubled look gracing my features.

It would be rude… and just plain stupid of me to ask, right?

…But… I want to know.

I sighed sharply, standing up.

I looked for an opportunity to talk to him all day; I'm sure as hell not going to pass it up.

Besides, I know for a fact I would ask them about him if I stayed there any longer.

I grabbed my juice in one hand and my half-peeled orange and went across the room. The four watched curiously as I slid into the booth, just across from Grumpy.

The raven haired teen – who was sitting across the seat with his back aligned with the wall, a book in his hands and his neck craned to look down – didn't even look up to me when I – accidentally rather loudly – set down my juice bottle.

"Fuck off," he huffed.

Well. I think this may be his favorite sentence in the whole of the English language.

But hey, they say third times, the charm so why not go for it?

"Did you skip Psychology or something?" I question as I continue peeling my orange, hissing as a bit of the juice got into a small hangnail.

The jerked the book away from his face and looked at me, surprise written on his face.

"What are you doing here, brat, I thought you got expelled?"

I cocked my eyebrow. "Why would I get expelled?! Why does everyone think that _or_ I went to prison?!"

"Well, I heard you stabbed someone after they blew in your face…" he told me.

Wow. Well. Isn't this nice? This went farther than I thought.

I sighed, running a hand over my face – and grimacing at the orange juice on my hand. I wiped the sticky stuff off my face with the sleeve of my shirt. "I didn't stab anybody."

"I know." He said, turning back to his book. I looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Oh do you?" I carefully separate my orange into halves before I take an individual piece and eat it.

He hummed. "You hit the guy, right under the left eye, across the cheekbone," he took the fingertips of his right hand and ghosted them over the spot he described. "I think you went a bit overboard, even if he groped you, or whatever."

"What was I supposed to do, bite him?" I scowl at him across the table, shoving another orange piece into my mouth.

He chuckled lightly, turning the page of his blue hardback novel. "I didn't break skin or really injure you, so you don't have to keep bringing it up."

"Still, you bit me."

He snapped his book shut and looked over to me. He slowly straightened on his seat and leaned over the table. He placed his book on the plastic tabletop and flattened his hands out on the table as he neared my face. I leaned back as he neared, trying to create a distance between us.

"I could do it again," he breathed, his nose brushed my own. My eyes went wide and I could feel my face heating up.

W-Would you please?

No. Stop it, Eren. You have a goal here, damn it!

"As attractive as that sounds," I murmured lowly, placing my hands onto his shoulders. "I really just came over here to properly introduce myself," I stated, pushing him gently back so I could have breathing room. I stuck out my hand. "I'm Eren Jaeger, as previously stated, but you never said your name, so I'll re-introduce myself."

He gave me a blank look. "I know your name, brat."

Will you tell me yours now, please? Or shall I call you Grumpy until the end of time itself?!

"And you touched me with your filthy, sticky hands." He sneered. Jeez guy, did I just murder your family, or touch you with fucking _orange juice_?! "Get me dirty again, and you'll regret your mother ever birthing your sorry ass."

Now the threat wasn't that spectacular.

But holy shit. It was the deliverance _of_ the threat that made me swallow down my nervous saliva.

"Just remember," I gulped. "Blood is harder to wash off than orange juice." I laughed nervously at his scowl.

"Not when you have experience with cleaning blood."

Before I could register what had happened, he slipped out of the booth, taking his book.

…And my orange juice.

* * *

 **A/N IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THERE SHALL BE someone's ass getting kicked next chapter.**

 **I think so...**

 **Yeah. There'll be ass kicking.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I rather enjoyed writing it.**

 **Please drop me a review telling me what you thought about it.**

 **And until next time-**


	7. Meeting of Friends and Making Enemies

"English Lit," I hummed, sitting into my desk, surveying the classroom. I looked down to my desk for a split second before someone sat down in the desk in front of me and there was a note dropped onto my desktop over the blond kid's shoulder. This bowl cut looks familiar…

I pick the note up and read the best handwriting I have ever seen in my life. My mother – being a nurse – has the stereotypical shitty doctor handwriting and Jean writes as if someone broke all his fingers multiple times. It makes chicken scratch look like elegant script. _'Eren, I don't know if you remember me or not, but I'm Armin. I was wondering if we could be friends…?'_ There was something erased at the corner, I had to squint to read what it said. _'Also, I've never been friends with a delinquent before. It could be quite thrilling!'_ I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

I took another, fresh piece of paper from my notebook and scribbled my own note on it.

 _'I remember you, Armin, and I would like to be friends… Although I'm not a delinquent, I can be fun (not so sure about thrilling).'_ I crumpled it up and tossed it lightly over his shoulder. He picked it up, and assumed read it, but the way the tops of his ears turned red with what I can only assume is embarrassment. He hunched over, his right arm moving quickly before he tossed the note over his shoulder.

 _'I am so sorry, please forgive me!'_ There were three exclamation points. I kid you not.

I chuckled lightly, scribbling my reply on the same piece of paper and gave it back; _'No need to apologize, it seems as if everyone shares the same view of me as you.'_

The note passing commenced. We covertly slid messages to each other during the whole of class. I'm genuinely surprised we weren't called out by the tall brunette who was our teacher.

I learned he has a sister and a brother that both go to this school. And he was an all A student, and he is close friends with Hanji – I swear, they know everyone – and Mikasa.

After the bell rang, we swapped phone numbers and decided that we should meet up sometime.

I gave a grateful sigh when Jean sent me a text that he was going ahead – to go check on Marco – and that I could walk home since it stopped raining.

In reality – in my mind – I think he was just getting me – an apparent cock block or something – out of the way so he could be _alone_ with Freckles. _If you know what I mean._

But at least I wouldn't have to ride with Jean again.

Thank you Freckles!

I had literally just gotten my stuff out of my locker when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned around to see a short brunette boy smiling nervously up at me.

"H-Here," he stammered, shoving something into my hands. "I was told to give you this!" before I could open the folded up note, he bolted down the hall. I purse my lips.

How many notes was I going to get today?

I flipped it open, looking at the writing on the page.

 _'Meisenknödel, meet me at the gym. I have something to discuss with you.'_ By discuss you mean 'beat the shit out of', right? Mhm. I knew this was coming _sometime_ today. Matthew Jonson wasn't one to take a punch lying down. This was no exception, especially since I was an old victim of his and Maguire's.

The question is; should I go? Probably not, because I could get into more trouble than I did last time.

But if I don't, then they'll come after me, probably.

And I don't want to seem like a coward…

Nope. I'm going. I'm done running. I haven't run from a fight in a long time and I'm not going to start back. I clutch my backpack strap in anger as I went towards the gym. If that bastard wants a fight, who the hell am I to refuse?

I make my way through the hallways, my shoes clicking on the tile floors until I come to the double doors of the gymnasium.

I inhale sharply before I grab the handle and pushed the door in. I surveyed the empty looking room for a minute, wondering where the guy would step out of. The echo of my footsteps on the ground was laughable to me. I let out a short whistle, and grinned – despite the situation – as the shrill note bounced off the walls. I couldn't help it. I tried to resist letting out the whistle, tune thingie from the Hunger Games.

And only half jumped out of my skin when the whistle was repeated in a different voice and the door slamming shut behind him. I turned on my heel, wide eyed to see Jonson standing there, his face twisted up into one of displeasure to even look at me, it seemed. Oh fucking goody. I noticed the pale, healing bruise on his face and couldn't help the swell of pride in my chest when I reminded myself that I put it there.

But – I have to remind myself – that is also why I am cornered in a gym right now.

He looks like he's out for blood. Like a dammed vampire, if you ask me.

He steps forward, a calm collected expression cloaking his face. Mhmm, I remember this. Jonson was the calm angry one. The one that would beat you shitless in an instant, but it would never show in his face or demeanor afterwards. He'll talk big, insult you and then get his anger out. But after he did… he walks away. The emotion is there and gone in an instant

"Hi," I called with a smile, giving him a pleasant wave (which he _did not_ return, by the way). "So I heard you wanted to talk to me." I held up the note in my hand, between my first and middle fingers as I slipped off my backpack and tossed it lightly to the side. "Cute little messenger you got there."

"Shut up," he spat, advancing forward.

Shut up? Nah, I think I'll keep talking until I dig myself into a deep grave, thank you very much!

Yeah, I know I'm stupid.

"He's adorable."

" _Shut the fuck up_ ," he put emphasis on every vowel as he came to a stop right in front of me. "Don't talk about," a slight hesitation here, "him."

"So," I continued, "did you threaten him to give the note to me… or… is he an asshole in training? Because he seems too sweet for that shit."

You know. I actually didn't expect the punch to come that quickly. Therefore, that is why I am on the ground, clutching my stomach gasping for air.

"Shut _up_!" he yelled the last word and accented it with a sharp kick to my thigh.

I sputtered a curse loudly.

"This isn't about him," he hissed. "It's about you, Jaeger." I rolled over, trying to get up when another sharp kick came, to my ribs this time.

"So you're going to just kick me? Have a little decency!" I cried, trying – and failing to get up once more.

He scoffed. "Geez, just because you got a little muscle you think you rule the fucking world, 'eh?" a kick landed on the small of my back. "Let me tell you something Jaeger," He kicked me so I was lying on my stomach… and then proceeded to step on the center of my back, making it hard to breathe. "You're just the same as you were all those years ago. You talk big for someone who can't even freaking defend himself."

"Get off me and I'll show you how exactly I defend myself," I spat between two labored breaths.

I could feel the bruises beginning to form and I start to mentally pity my future self who has to wake up to this. Or deal with mom when she sees the bruises.

I hear him breath out a laugh before he removes his foot.

Thank Goodne–

My silent prayer was cut off when he twisted his hand in my hair and yanked me up before he pushed my back so I landed on my ass.

"Alright then, get up. Defend yourself." His eyes held a challenge; _prove me wrong_. I groaned as I lifted myself to my feet.

I struggled to breathe deeply as I raised my fists, signaling I was ready. But before he even thought to move, I lunged forward, my right fist aiming for his face, to renew the bruise on his pretty little face.

However, to my dismay, he dodged.

Damn it.

He dodged and came back with a sharp kick to the back of my knee. I cried out as I fell to my hands and knees on the floor. And then the jerk had the nerve to kick my ass – literally – so that I fell forward and my _face_ made contact with the floor.

In the back of my mind I questioned why all the hits – aside from the first one – had been kicks. Maybe he had a thing about not getting his hands dirty…

But it doesn't fucking matter right now, does it, me?!

He came forward again, but stopped once one of the double doors opened and two sets of footsteps entered the room.

"Aw~ But Big Sib, I'm hungry!" a whiny voice moaned. "Couldn't we stop by somewhere to eat before we go home?" I couldn't see the people since I had my back turned.

"Nope!" a joyful voice called. It sounded familiar, why did it sound so familiar? "We're going to drop off these files and then – What the actual fuck?!"

Walk away, Hanji. This is my – Oh. That's why it was familiar. It's Hanji!

…ah shit.

"What's going on here?!" she demanded. I heard something smack against the floor, and I assumed they dropped the files, or whatever they were carrying.

"None of your business, Zoe," Jonson said, his hands tucked safely into his pockets.

Did you have to look so damn casual when I can't fucking breathe here?! The bruise is making a white hot pain shoot through me every time I take a breath in.

"How the fuck is this not my business, Matthew Jonson? This is assault; I could get you expelled," they sneered. They stomped near us. I mean 'I am going to make dents in the floor to show how angry I am' stomped.

He hummed. "Yeah, but this guys started it, let me remind you." Hanji's steps froze.

I took the chance to get up – shakily, I'll admit, but I still got up. I breathed heavily.

"Eren?" they asked.

"I thought I was 'Stranger' to you, Hanji," I threw a weak grin to them.

"Sasha," they started in a calm voice. I wish I could see their eyes behind the glint in their glasses.

"Yes?" the brunette behind her asked timidly.

"Take Eren here," they nodded towards me, "and get him to the car. I want to have a word with Mr. Jonson here." They dropped the files onto the floor with a large bang and then proceeded to roll up their sleeves to their elbows.

"Hey, Hanji," I muttered. "This is my fight; you can't just barge in and break it up! I'm winning for Maria's sake!"

"Do you call lying in pain on the floor winning?" Hanji stepped forward, their fists clenching and unclenching.

"I'm building up his fake confidence before I bet the crap out of him!" I'm lying. I'm not winning. _But I was about to be, mind you_!

"Yeah," they scoffed. "That's about as true as the first lobotomies didn't harm your brain."

Did… I miss something… because I didn't get that.

"I'm done with him, now," Jonson said. "You can go now." He nodded towards me.

I nodded back, taking a heavy step forward. I didn't take two steps before I spun back around, putting my foot out and landing a blow against his shin.

I… cannot tell you how good that felt.

But I wasn't able to bask in the glory before I spun around, Grabbing Hanji's hand and running off. I grabbed Sasha's hand when we sped past where she was watching the whole affair.

I laughed breathlessly once we got to the parking lot.

"Hey! Why'd you run?! We could have reported that guy!" Hanji yelled at me.

"Because," I sniffed, wiping my dry nose with the back of my hand, "the way I see it, we're both even now. I punched him once, he kicked the shit out of me, and I kicked him back. I'm willing to call it even."

There was a long silence. Hanji stared hard at me, I stared back and Sasha shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey… Big Sib…" the brunette said after a while, picking at the zipper on her vest. "Could we… go eat now?"


	8. Pizza With Family?

"So Eren," Hanji stated while turning the ignition of their maroon colored Jeep. "What do you want to eat?"

"Pizza, I want pizza!" Sasha shouted from the back seat, pumping a fist in the air.

"And I remember asking Eren," they said in a mock tone as they shook a finger at the brunette in the rear view mirror. Sasha's bottom lip jutted out and she crossed her arms.

"Pizza sounds good," I told Hanji, even though it really didn't. I'm still feeling the effects of yesterday's pizza.

Sasha jumped up from her seat only to throw her arms around my neck and choke me from behind. "Thank you!" she cried. "From now on, you're my big brother!"

Hanji half laughed, half pouted. "What? You're getting a big brother and replacing me?"

"Yes! Eren is my Big Bro now!" she declared, going back to her seat and allowing me to breathe. While Hanji and Sasha bickered, something popped into my mind.

"Hey Sasha, you're not dating Connie Springer, are you?" Sasha gave me a grin while I saw Hanji face palm out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes we're dating!" she squealed.

"More like their married, if you ask me," Hanji muttered beside me. "They're always together every second of every day."

"How do you know Sapling?" Sasha asked excitedly Sasha asked excitedly .

…Sapling? Is she his senior, or sensei or something?

"We met in psych class. He told me a lot about you."

It wasn't a lie. I know Sasha's shoe size from Connie's babbling, for Maria's sake!

"He's always like that, Sasha this, Sasha that, my girlfriend is the best on of al time," Hanji nearly seethed.

"Did he? Ah, my little Sapling is so sweet!" Sasha bubbled, not hearing her sibling's words.

"Before you go onto a rant about how fucking awesome your boyfriend is, we're here. So shut up and get out."

"Aw, you only have this attitude because you're single!" she whined.

"Shut up and get out of my car," they grumbled.

I laughed lightly as I exited out of the Jeep that was parked in the back of Pixis' Pizza.

"You know I could get you a date with someone," Sasha went on. "His name is Geoffrey. He's a real cute dirty blond. He's good with numbers and–"

"No, shut up!" Hanji yelled, clutching at their ears. "I'm not looking for some awkward as fuck sophomore!"

"He's a junior!" Sasha retorted.

"I'm into older guys," Hanji told her. "And I'm already after somebody, so quit it!"

I kept in a pained groan as I walked up the stairs and went through a metal door. My abdomen hurts like a bitch, so does my leg.

We came into a kitchen. There were people buzzing around; some sticking pizzas in ovens, others tossing salads, and still others preparing other dishes – and washing dishes. We continued in after Hanji told something to who I recognized as Annie – who was currently scattering green bell peppers over a supreme pizza. The blonde nodded and we continued into the main part of the restaurant.

"Big Sib was putting in our order," Sasha explained as she popped a pepperoni onto her mouth. She had a handful of them. I guess she snatched them from a station somewhere.

"Hey, what do you mean by Big Sib?" I asked quietly.

She glanced to me after shoving the rest of the pepperoni in her mouth. "Hanji is non-binary." Ooooohhh. "Since I can't call them Big Broanymore, I call them Big Sib. Cool, huh?" I nodded.

We went and sat in a booth by a window Hanji on the inside and Sasha beside them with I sat on the other side of the table.

"How are you feeling Eren?" Hanji asked after we were brought a couple of waters from a waitress. I whined slightly as I straightened up.

I gave a dry laugh. "I hate to be me in the morning when the pain actually hits."

"You should have at least let me beat the shit out of him!" Hanji muttered, taking a white plastic salt shaker and inspecting its edges.

I shrugged. "It wasn't your fight. But if he tries again, I'll kick his ass for you."

Hanji was about to reply when Sasha's hand over their mouth stopped them. "Shut up, the food's here!" she breathed excitedly.

A short little guy came and set a large pizza on the table in front of us. He wore black slacks and a green t-shirt. On his head he wore a bright green baseball cap with a neat little insignia on it. Two roses and a shield like crest. I looked to his face and screamed internally.

Grumpy?!

"Levi!" Sasha yelled, jumping up from her space to throw her arms around Grumpy – no, Levi's shoulders in a hug. He awkwardly hugged her back before looking to Hanji.

"If you're thinking of getting a hug too, you can go fuck yourself." He told them.

So Levi knows Hanji too… hmm, I swear, they know everyone.

"You're so mean," they huffed. "But I don't want a hug.

"Well who shat in your shack?" he asked, sliding over into the booth next to me, not even sparing me a glance. Sasha slid in next to Hanji and instantly attacked the pizza.

"Eren here refuses to listen to my beautiful, sound voice of reason." They gestured to me. Levi looked over to me and he instantly scrunched up his nose.

"Oh. You."

You… are so damn pleasant to be around, you know that?

"I wouldn't listen to anything Hanji says," he shook his head with a click of his tongue. "They're bat-shit crazy."

"I am not!" they pretested. "You'd say the same thing is you saw–" I cut them off by a sharp kick under the table.

Levi gave me a strange look. "What, did you murder someone?" I scoffed a laugh, taking a slice of pizza and putting it on my plate.

"No." I scowl at an onion on my pizza.

"Then what did you do?" he nudged my side. I winced slightly, something that didn't go unnoticed by Levi. "Damn Brat, it wasn't even that hard."

"You just have a sharp elbow," I said through gritted teeth.

He opened his mouth to reply when a call came for him to return to work. He muttered a curse before doing so.

After the pizza was done, we left and the two dropped me off at my house. But not after Sasha grabbed me in a hug and a promise to see me tomorrow. Hanji scowled at me before their expression softened and did the exact same thing. I bid them my farewells and went inside. I slowly made it up the stairs to my bed room to face plant in my bed,

I really pity my future self tomorrow, having to wake up to so much shit.

* * *

 **A/N Sorry for being out these last few days, guys, I've been really bloody sick. Like, I've only been able to get out of bed three times today and I'm about to hop back in...**

 **Anyway, here's your update, hope you enjoyed.**

 **Drop me a review please, it'll seriously make my day.**

 **'Till next time-**


	9. You Don't Touch My Famiy

**A/N You guys only have one more chapter until you're caught up with the kids on AO3. O.O I've got to get working on 11 now...**

 **Hmm. Well, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

And by that I mean; I was actually able to get up and shower after I woke up instead of lying there, moaning pitifully in pain.

I went slowly down the stairs, a towel hanging around my shoulders to catch any drips falling from my hair. Every step causes pain to shoot up my left thigh and a muttered curse to fall from my lips.

I was thankful of mom and Jean being out of the house – mom had a morning shift while Jean stayed over at Marco's last night – so I didn't have a wear a damn shirt until I have to go to school. As I walked down the stairs, about to turn into the kitchen, I caught my reflection in a mirror hanging to my left, in the living room. There was a deep purple bruise on my stomach, extending to the left side of my ribcage and a fading bruise peeking out of the waistband around my right hip. I turned around, seeing a yellow-ish coloring around the small of my back.

I have to say, this looks a hell of a lot worse than how I actually feel.

Granted, I don't feel all sunshine and rainbows, but I also don't feel like I just got out of a "Fight Club" ring.

The rest of the morning went about how it usually does, getting dressed, getting breakfast, getting my back pack–

You know, something just occurred to me.

In my sudden "Let's kick him and book it" thing… I forgot my fucking backpack.

All I can do is hope it's still there when I get to school.

I hurry to get out the door, barely locking it behind me before I break out into a sprint. Sure, my breath is labored; my lungs are pounding and my thigh feels like it's going to make me collapse, but I've got to get my bag.

We don't live too far from the school, so it didn't take long for me to get there.

"Eren my favorite little ball of stubborn sunshine," Hanji cried as I ran past them in the parking lot through a bunch of people. They grabbed me as I ran by, dragging my in an embrace.

I flailed, trying to get out of their grasp. "Oi! Lemme go! Hanji, I swear to Maria–"

"Nobody gets out of a Hanji-death-hug," a guy I recognized as Erwin shook his head to my left.

"Hanji, come on," I heard Armin call. Hanji reluctantly lets go of me, but keeps an arm around my shoulder. "How do you two even know each other?"

"I know everyone," Hanji scoffed. I fucking called it.

I gave a painful groan, pulling away from the crazy individual. "Hanji I've got shit to do–"

"You can spare a few minutes," they waved me off, once again dragging me to their side.

"You heard him, he's got to take a shit," I whipped my head to the side to finally notice Levi, standing a few feet away from us with his arms crossed over his chest, his normal glare on his features.

At least he didn't tell me to fuck off.

"No I don't!" I hissed, trying to pull away from the iron grip Hanji had on me. "Yesterday I left my backpack in the gym–"

"What kind of scatterbrain leaves their bag at school?" a tall blond guy in front of me asks.

"This one!" Hanji chirped, rubbing their head against mine. I grumbled to be let free, but was cut off by a loud gasp behind me, followed by an exclamation.

"Big bro!" suddenly, there was a weight on my back, knocking me out of Hanji's grip and to the ground.

I let out a shout, catching myself on my hands. Several people around gave an exclamation of surprise at my fall, others laughed. I grumbled a thousand curses to the heavens, hells, and the certain brunette still hanging onto my neck and pressed against my back. "Get off me!" I groaned, struggling to stand under Sasha's death grip – which might be stronger than Hanji's.

"I told you to stop calling him that!" Hanji whined, her fists balling up.

"Who the fuck is this?!" a voice I recognized from the guy named Connie shouted.

"He's my new big brother!" Sasha declared, finally letting me go. I was relieved to get some air in my lungs.

"So Eren bought you food?" Armin guessed. She gave a vigorous nod.

So I guess this is a regular thing.

I pressed a hand to the left side of my ribcage, breathing deeply.

"So Eren," Armin directed my attention to him, changing the subject. "Have you met our squad?"

Oh Maria… Was this one of _those_ groups?

I shook my head since I didn't recognize some of these people in "the squad".

"Okay," he giggled, clapping his hands together. "So I see you've met Hanji and Sasha, but this is Erwin Smith," he gestured to the man beside him. "And his younger brother Reiner," he pointed to the blond who had insulted me earlier, "along with his older twin sister Annie." He pointed to the familiar girl standing – once again – next to Mikasa. "Connie." He continued, each one giving out a greeting. "Ymir,"

"'Sup?" I nodded to the tall, dark skinned woman.

"Mikasa," she gave me a nod and a soft smile. "Bertholdt," a timid looking ravenette nodded to me. "And finally, my darling younger sister, Krista!" Armin said with much more energy, about the little blond, who in turn blushed and buried her face in Ymir's shoulder to hide.

"Nice to meet you all," I said with a tight smile. "But I _reallllyyy_ have to go find my bag," I said, inching away from Hanji.

"I found a backpack this morning in the gym," Annie spoke up. I froze and turned to her. "It was run to the office." A grin grew on my lips. I bid my thanks before going to find the office.

After meeting the vice president Rico – I'm pretty sure she hates my existence – and finding my bag in the office, the day went normally. I went into psych, Levi was quiet throughout the whole class while Krista and Connie talked me up before and after class ended.

Nothing else was notable. I ate lunch with Hanji, they asked me how I was doing and if I wanted to go get something from the nurse's office, which I refused for the sole reason, of I didn't feel that bad, plus, if we _did_ go, they would automatically call my mom because of the extent of my bruises.

Ah, one thing. In Geometry, Marco came in, white as a sheet. He explained that he was still shaken up about this morning. Jean drove him to school. I laughed so hard, I think the room three doors down heard us.

"Eren!" Marco yelled, running down the hall towards me after last period ended. "I forgot to give you this earlier!" He held out a white envelope to me as he came to a stop.

"Am I supposed to give this to Jean?" I asked. I took the envelope while laughing at Marco's pink face.

"No, it's from Alex. She said she had to pay you back for pizza," he explained. Ah! Now I can finally have money in my pocket! I don't use my bank card often, that's why it's on my dresser. I pulled the crisp ten dollar bill from then envelope and turned to my still opened locker, going for my backpack. I rooted through the bag for my wallet – which _should_ have been buried in the bottom – but found nothing. I muttered a curse, dragging the backpack out of its nook and put it in Marco's arms so I could look through it more thoroughly.

"Where the hell is it?" I asked, not finding it once again.

"What?" Marco asked.

"My wallet," I told him. I zipped it shut and slung the bag over my shoulder. "It should have been in there."

"Maybe you left it at home…?" he suggested. I gave a weak nod, mainly to ease my own mind which screamed that it wouldn't be home. "Come on," he clapped me on the shoulder, "let's get out of here before Jean offers us a ride."

I laughed easily, letting him lead down the hallway and out the front doors of the school. The parking lot was busy as usual, kids either hanging around in their "squad" or hurrying to get the fuck off campus. Marco described his horrific tale of riding with Jean once more as we walk.

"So as he goes to pass this guy, there's another one coming _right_ towards us! We missed him by half a yard! I kid you not! Half a yard. I almost had a heart attack. I swore, I was going to die there, never to grow old, or have grandchildren, or even graduate high school!" he rambled on. Everything that was said, I could personally relate to. Mom used to be the same kind of driver, until she almost hit an old lady. Now she's a model driver who hasn't gotten a ticket in years. "And then we–"

He suddenly cut himself off with a startled grunt. "Ow, hey, who's throwing rocks?" he looked away from me, to scan the crowd for the offender.

"Hey, Jaeger, I think this is yours!"

Fuuuuccckkk.

There stood Matthew Jonson with my wallet between his fingers.

I'm getting real sick of his shit. It's repetitive. After years of doing the same thing, I'm not about to settle into the same schedule.

"Thanks man," I say with a smile, stepping forward. Marco was directly on my heels. "You can give it to me now," I stretch out my hand for it, but he yanked the brown leather wallet away and shoved it in his back pocket.

"Do you really think I'm going to give it to you after that dick move yesterday?" he asked. My eyes darted away from his, only for a split second to observe the circle forming around us before they snapped back to his hazel ones. "If your leg works well enough to kick somebody, it's enough to let you stand and fight fairly."

"I think you practice what you preach," I tell him. "It seems your legs work fine, yet you're a cheating son of a bitch who's afraid to get his hands dirty." I enjoy seeing his face twist into anger a little too much, I think. "Also," I add, "steel toed boots is a dick move. Like what the hell?"

"Hey," he cuts me off, looking behind me. "Don't let him go anywhere." I glance behind my shoulder when I hear Marco squeak in intimidation of a larger boy, but the same height blocking his way. "He'll cut our 'talk' short."

"No, I won't, I swear," his voice breaks on the last word, giving away his lie.

"Sure you won't," the blond in front of Marco spat, twisting him around and pushing him forward. Marco regained his footing before he could fall to the ground.

"Don't you fucking _dare_ touch him," I sneer, turning fully to look at the blond.

"Ooh, I think we may have found a weak spot," Jonson hummed. I turned to him in time to see him by Marco, fisting his hair and yanking it up.

"Get off him," I growl. I swear to Maria, he has to the mental count of three–

"Eren, just leave it be," Marco grunted at the hand in his hair. "Apologize for whatever you did and let's go home." My nose scrunched up at his words.

"You'd better to listen to Freckles," the tall ravenette advised, lifting Marco an inch higher. "Your saint here should give you all you advice."

"You have three seconds to put him down," I threatened. "I'm not responsible for hospital bills if you don't."

"Oh? I'm sorry, Jaeger? What are you going to do about it?" he asked. "You gonna call Zoe again? Or are you going to get your ass kicked again?" He threw Marco aside. My head whipped to him, one of the people forming the circle helped him up.

That's it. I charged.

He chuckled, raising both fists up for defense. As I got close he swung his left fist. I ducked, coming up with an uppercut to his jaw. I've got a purpose. He isn't taking me down so easily. The motherfucker messed with my family. He's dead. Or as close as I can get him without going to prison.

Damn, when did I become a part of the mafia?

It really didn't matter, since the wall of people caught him and pushed him right back to me. I didn't have time to move before he came back with a punch directly to my chest. I coughed, flying back and landing on my ass. I placed a hand over the right side of my chest. Shit, I may need an ER after this. He scoffed.

"Just like last time." He started to turn away.

I swiveled, tucking my feet under me, and using my arms to keep myself steady as I launched forward. I latched onto his abdomen, taking him with me to the ground once more – but also using him as my cushion. Not that it helped the impact to my wrists, hands and forearms, though

"You son of a bitch," he growled, trying to roll me off him. I sat on his lower back, my hands gripping the fabric of his shirt to stabilize myself. He lifted himself up on his arms and bucked his hips. With a cry, I fell off and a second later, he was straddling my waist. He swung his fist and it connected with my right cheek bone, jerking my head to the left. Next, he pulled my collar up before slamming me back down, the back of my skull cracking against the asphalt. I groaned. I glared up at the teen, who glared right back down at me. He leaned down near my face, most likely intent on saying something, but I'll never know because he's stupid and you should never let me get in head butting range of you while we're in this situation, because that's what I'll do.

Head butt you.

I reached up, my hands going around the back of his neck before I yanked him down, my head jerking up,. Our foreheads clashed together and it stunned him long enough for me to kick him off and get to my feet again. It felt good to see him get to his feet unsteadily. It honestly did. That may be fucked up, but you know what, fuck you. It felt _awesome_ after all these years.

He took a step forward, but froze to his place when the circle parted and two raven haired teens, plus two blonds entered the circle.

"Why wasn't I invited to this little cock fight?" Levi asked, a biting edge to his words. Erwin gave me a disappointed look while Armin didn't even look at me. Mikasa glanced, but didn't pay much attention. Or so it seemed. I bet she knows everything that goes on.

"Why do you care what goes on here?" Jonson spat.

"Physical violence is against school rules," Armin spoke up. "A rule that was-" he looked to me before instantly looking away. "-clearly broken here."

"Who started this?" Mikasa asked firmly. I stayed silent, as did Matthew. "If neither of you fesses up, we'll be forced to punish both of you." I looked around, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

I honestly don't know who started the fight. It began by me charging for him, but he had Marco. But yesterday, he beat the shit out of me. But that was for a punch I gave him because of a few different reasons. Not to mention all the times in the past-

"Very well," the woman continued. "You'll both be escorted off campus and contacted by the school later for punishment. Your parents will be contacted as well."

I don't suppose I have a German version of an Italian mafia family ready to get me out of this shit, do I?

No?

Didn't think so.

* * *

 **A/N Don't worry Eren, honey, I'm sure Hanji, Jean and Marco will get you out of whatever you landed yourself in. Maybe. Hopefully.**

 **Aaahhhhhh, fight scenes. I love to write our little angry German boy in the ring.**

 **I don't like this fight scene, though. I just... don't. It doesn't feel right or something like that.**

 **However, I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **If you did happen to enjoy it, please drop me a review telling me what you thought.**

 **And 'till next time-**


	10. I'm a Squad Member?

**A/N Nervous af because my precious cinnamon roll is now reading this chapter and she's probably going to give me her full thought on every aspect of the chapter.**

 **Good lord...**

 **Ah well, the rest of you enjoy!**

* * *

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, Eren," Marco blubbered as I hobbled into the emergency room – more like forced – with the help of a new acquaintance Thomas Wagner on one side and Marco on the other. My arms wound around each of their shoulders as they kept my steady. "I-I just chocked up!"

"You're fine, Marco," I sighed. "Stop apologizing. And help me get psyched up because mom might be on shift."

"Your mom works here?" Thomas asked. I gave a stiff nod.

"She just transferred here a few weeks ago from Shinganshina." I told him. We hooked a left and came out into a spacious waiting room. Chairs lined the walls and a square of uncomfortable couches sat in the middle of the room. Two vending machines were against the right wall.

I shook off the two and made my way to the desk in the front of the room in the middle of two doors, one leading off to a hall and the other to the exam rooms. A young woman with turquoise colored hair sat behind the desk. She looked up when I leaned on the countertop.

"Can I sign you in?" she asked, holding up a clip board. I gave a strained smile, but took it, along with the pen offered and filled out the appropriate paperwork.

"Um, I'm sorry, but do you know if a nurse named Carla Jaeger is here?" I asked as I jotted down my blood type and allergies.

"Mrs. Jaeger?" I gave a nod. The woman, her ID said Sylvia, glanced to a computer screen in front of her. "It looks like she might be on break right now," she told me. "Is there a specific reason?"

"Well, a minor isn't allowed in without their parent or guardian, right?" A small, dry laugh erupted from my throat. Her eyes widened at me. I handed the clipboard back to her, since I was done filling it out. Her eyes scanned through the information before nodding me to a seat while she picked up a phone and put it between her shoulder and ear. She punched in a few numbers while I turned on my heel to go to a chair, which I have to say, looks very inviting at the moment. I eased myself down, slouching in the green seat with a long, drawn out sigh.

"Is Aunt Carla coming?" Marco asked. He sat in the seat beside mine while Thomas sat on one of the couches. I nodded before leaning my head back so it barely touched the wall.

"I need some strong-ass pain killers," I groan. "I feel like my head is going to split open. And like I have a cracked rib. Oh Maria, it hurts fucking everywhere."

"Did it hurt that much?" Thomas asked quietly. "It seemed like it was only a hit to the chest, and a punch to the face." I cracked my eyes open to see Marco gaping at the blond.

I picked my head up to look at Thomas. "Those were only today's. I've been racking up injuries."

I wasn't given a chance to elaborate when two brunettes came into the room.

"Eren Jaeger, what on God's green earth did you do this time?!" my ear was almost yanked off when mom jerked me up from my seat. I bit my lips to keep back any sounds of pain. Jean stood back, letting my ear get pulled and gripped off at the same time while Marco jumped up to come to my rescue.

"Aunty Carla, listen, it isn't what you think," he said, waving his hands in front of him.

"Was it a fight at school?" she asked impatiently.

"I guess it was what you thought," he muttered. I nearly whimpered at the increased pressure in my ear.

Damn you Marco! Damn your inability to lie and say I was hit by a car or something!

"Eren, I thought I told you to keep out of trouble." Here comes the disappointment again.

"Okay, now before you go onto a very long lecture, I feel like I am about to fall apart. Please let me get patched up first." She froze for a second before completely detaching herself from me.

"Yes! Yes of course!"

 **-X-**

In all complete honesty, with no hidden meaning in between the lines, American television sucks.

It's terrible.

I have been through every sitcom on TV, and have skipped past almost every one. I'll admit, a few were good, but most of them sucked.

I glanced around the couch. There was an ice chest right next to me serving as a little table, as well as a mini fridge.

After mom saw the extent of my injuries, the disappointment temporarily disappeared and full on babying mode activated.

On top of everything else, I'm not able to leave the couch, or the house. I'm not even allowed to go upstairs. I'm supposed to; either get mom or Jean grab whatever it is I need, or sit tight and forget about it. While I admit, it was fun ordering Jean around for the first day, it got very boring, very fast.

I rolled over with a grunt.

It's been three days since my hospital visit. I'm healing fast to say the least. It's always been in these situations that I've been the most thankful that I both have a nurse for a mother and have this strange ability to heal super quickly. Maybe my body simply adapted to the life style which has been thrust upon me.

I sit up and swing my feet off the couch. I need my laptop. It's loaded with lots of games to keep me entertained, but it just happens to be upstairs.

However, mom isn't home. And neither is Jean.

So nobody is going to know I went upstairs. Plain and simple.

I stand and make my way to the stairs. My hand lazily trails along the railing while I scale the carpeted steps.

I push my bedroom door in, expecting to find it in the clean(ish) state I left it three days ago, only to find the biggest mess I have ever seen in my life.

My thoughts instantly make a very pleasing image of strangling Jean – the obvious cause of the mess. He's going to feel worse than me when he gets back.

I get to work cleaning since I'm not even able to find my laptop. It's got to be under all this shit somewhere.

Unless…

Jean's computer has been out of whack recently… He could have stolen mine for… less than pure reasons… It wouldn't be the first time. However, unlike last time, I will take action. Less than pleasant actions.

My nose bunches up at the thought and I kick out against a small pile of laundry, only to reveal a sleek black device. With thanks given to the heavens, I dropped down and cradle the laptop in my arms.

"Thank Maria," I sigh, "I'm so glad Jean hasn't abused you!" I place a small kiss to the top of the lid, right over a decal sticker for "Jiyuu no Tsubasa". They're a band I grew up with. In all honesty, I am still in love with every band member to this day.

I stand up and make my way out of the room. I've cleaned enough, it was mostly done, with some laundry and books scattered everywhere anyway. I'm at the staircase when the door unexpectedly opens. I curse under my breath, panic running through my veins. They're going to fucking kill me once they see-

My train of thought stops when a shit ton of people pile through the door.

"Why do all of you need to be here?" Jean demands, being the last one to come in and closes the door.

"Because we wanted to tell the little shit the news ourselves!" Hanji chirps.

Sunshine to Little shit, eh? I guess I kind of deserve that.

"Also, his wallet needs returned," Armin said, holding up the wallet I had been meaning to get back.

Jean grunts, turning and heading most likely to the couch – where I am supposed to be – and the others follow.

Oh. Oh shit. I'm not supposed to be up here.

Muttering a thousand curses under my breath, I tip toe down the stairs, leaning over the railing to see everyone crowded into the living room.

"Oi, hot head, where the hell are ya?" Jean shouts.

I hold my breath, speeding down the rest of the stairs and creeping out of the entry way. Small conversation was among the group, compliments about the house and stuff like that while Jean looked around the first floor.

I glance around, formulating a plan. From where I stand, in front of the door, if I go straight ahead, there's the living room. But if I go four feet ahead and hook a right, I instantly come into the kitchen. Turn right again, and you get the square dining room cut off from the kitchen by a half wall. But I could sneak into the kitchen, set up my laptop on the island, ninja up a stool and plug in the ear buds I have in my pocket and pretend not to notice them come in.

I put the plan into action and effortlessly get into the kitchen and put my laptop down in front of the stool already sitting there from either mom or Jean not putting theirs away from previous use. I dig my ear buds out of my pocket with renewed urgency when I hear Jean mutter about "the dumb bastard gong upstairs" and his footsteps approaching. I merely pop the buds into my ears before flipping the lid of my laptop.

I quickly punch in my password and the computer programs open.

"Hey, do you think Eren got kidnapped?" Connie asked from the living room.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Hanji hummed. Thanks, Hanj. "In the state we heard he was in…" Is this from the "sources" who told Levi I stabbed someone for blowing in their face?

The internet browser pops open and I cock my eyebrow. I don't remember being on the internet last time I used this…

I click "restore previous session", but regret the decision precisely seven seconds later.

"What the actual motherfucking hell is this?!" I cry. So it looks like Jean actually did steal my computer. I stare shell shocked at the computer, barely registering the people rushing into the room. Jean's eyes widen before speeding forward and slapping me lightly over the head.

"You idiot, what are you doing?" he cuts himself short when his eyes land on the computer screen.

I snap out of my shock and look up to him from where I sat on the barstool. "You," I hiss, bringing my finger up to point at him. "You're fucking dead." I slowly rise from my stool, and Jean shrinks away.

"Hang on, you can't just commit murder with all us witnesses," Hanji scoffed. I whip my head to finally look at the group and take account that all was here: Connie, Sasha, Armin, Hanji and Erwin. "Everyone but Erwin and Armin please excuse us. We have business to take care of." They turn their head side to side to pop their neck muscles and then move on to crack their knuckles.

"Nah, you guys can stay here," I shook my head at them. "I'll be right back." I tell them before grabbing Jean's collar and dragging him to the front door. I open it wide and release Jean so he was standing just outside the door on the porch.

"Listen, Eren-"

Before he can continue, I slam the door on him and twist the lock so he can't get back in.

I really should have turned him around and punted his ass across the yard, should I have?

With a scowl on my face, I trudge back into the kitchen. Hanji, Erwin and Armin hovered around the laptop while Connie was over the sink, hands braced on either side making gagging noises. Sasha laid a comforting hand on his back, drawing soothing circles and light pats in an effort to calm him down while she glanced over her shoulder to the screen, a light pink dusting over her cheeks to match Armin's.

"Well, Eren, I didn't think you were into this type of thing," Hanji said, glancing up to me with a wolfish grin on their lips.

"Indeed," Erwin breathed.

Armin kept his eyes glued to the screen, his face a crimson red as his eyes widened and he brought a hand up to cup his mouth.

I jump forward, snapping the lip to the computer shut. A collective groan from four of the six of us in the room sounded.

"It was just getting to the-"

"Sasha, you are fucking fifteen years old you shouldn't be watching this shit!" Hanji barked suddenly in surprise.

"Didn't stop you when you were my age," the brunette girl huffed, crossing her arm with cheeks puffed out with a pout.

"No," I hold back an amused chuckle at Connie's unsteady voice as he shakes his head still buried in the sink. "You shouldn't be watching that kind of stuff."

"That was Jean's," I say in an attempt to shrug off the situation.

Hanji gave a thoughtful hum. "Mhm, listen honey, none of us can really judge you for wanting cock, since every one of us does but Connie."

"Oh Maria, Hanji stop talking," Armin breathed, burying his face in his hands. Erwin gave the little blond a fond, amused look.

"It's true, Armin!" Sasha gave him a pointed look.

"Shut up all of you!" Connie whined.

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked. Hanji and Sasha both nodded at the same time.

"Poor baby can't take sex talk," Sasha hummed, leaning her elbows on Connie's bent back, and holding her chin in the palm of her hands.

I give an easy laugh at our situation. I offer snacks and pass out a few drinks out from the fridge. After a few minutes, Connie finally snaps back into it and he and Sasha dig into the snacks instantly.

"Eren, the reason we came here today," Erwin started off, seemingly getting back on track. I gave my full attention to the tall blond. "The situation was investigated, and after a few eyewitness accounts, you'll be able to attend school once you are able."

"To tell you the truth, Matthew and Jeremy have been asking for expulsions for a while now. After this recent stunt, Jonson has fully earned his." Armin nodded solemnly.

"But what about me…" I ask, "I technically started the fights, plus, I fought just as much as he did."

"While that is the case that you threw the first physical punch, but the guys got multiple strikes against him with several students in the school," Hanji says. "And everyone who ever saw you two in a fight, you were egged on by Matthew."

"And when we found you in the gym!" Sasha butt in. "And Marco Bodt told us what had happened. They technically attacked him first, and then you defended him."

I nod. I get it, but I feel as if I should get some sort of punishment, too.

"Also, we have one more thing to say," Sasha chirped, holding up her first (chocolate covered) finger. She looked to the group, as if asking for permission to spill the beans. With a nod from Erwin, she whipped her head back to me. "We're adopting you into the squad!"

* * *

 **A/N I'm excited about next chapter. Now I just have to write the rest of it. -_-**

 **Sorry, I've been working on other things recently - namely the profile of Levi and trans!Eren's love child in a fic I'm planning - and haven't been able to write very much.**

 **I got a drawing tablet. It's so fricken awesome, omfg.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed, please drop me a review telling me what you think.**

 **'Till next time-**


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